Place a large saucepan over a high heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once heated up, add the meat and brown on all sides making sure you break up any lumps. Once browned, remove from the pan and put to one side for now.
500 g beef mince
Add the carrot, onion, celery, thyme and bay to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 30 – 60 seconds.
1 large onion, 1 stalk celery, 2 medium carrots, 2 leaves bay, 2 sprigs thyme, 3 cloves garlic
Return the meat back to the pan and stir to combine.
Add the tomatoes, beef stock, salt and pepper and yes the sugar.
800 g tomatoes, 180 ml beef stock, salt, ground black pepper
Reduce the heat until the contents simmer and leave for about 1 hour stirring frequently. The sauce should have reduced and thicken and have a lovely richness to it.
Taste and adjust seasoning if required.
salt, ground black pepper
Bechamel Sauce
Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir well.
55 g unsalted butter, 125 g all purpose flour
Slowly add the milk a little each time and whisk until fully blended with the butter and flour. HINT: don’t add all of the milk, keep about ¼ back until later.
475 ml whole milk
Reduce the heat so the sauce has a gentle simmer.
The sauce needs to be whisked constantly while it thickens. When it has add the mustard powder, nutmeg and cayenne pepper and whisk again until the sauce has fully cooked through. This will take about 7 – 9 minutes.
Taste to make sure you are unable to taste the flour and adjust seasoning if required.
salt, ground black pepper
Add the grated cheese and stir in. The heat from the sauce will melt the cheese into a lovely thick smooth sauce.
115 g cheddar
Pasta
Place a large pan of salted water over a high heat and bring to a boil.
Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.
455 g rigatoni
Once cooked, drain over a colander retaining 1 cup of pasta water in cas the sauce needs thinning.
Serve the pasta with Bolognese and the sauce in any order you want. It's time to be artistic. Serve immediately with a grating of parmesan and basil leaves